In the 2013 census, approximately 8.5 percent of the population identified themselves as members of indigenous communities, but other estimates were higher. The Office of the Inspector General of the Armed Forces and the Humanitarian Law Directorate investigated and arrested members of the military accused of human rights abuses. The National Prison Institute (INP) reported 12 violent deaths. The law permits fines, and while the monetary penalty is sufficient to deter violations and commensurate with the penalties for similar crimes, such as fraud, the failure of the government to collect those fines facilitated continued labor code violations. Around 191,000 people were. The director of the national disaster management agency, Gabriel Rubi, was removed from his position in April. Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in Persons, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, a. Persons from indigenous and Afro-descendant communities continued to experience discrimination in employment, education, housing, and health services. The STSS completed 13 inspections as of March and did not find any minors working without permission. The government did not effectively enforce the law. They had limited representation in the national government and consequently little direct input into decisions affecting their lands, cultures, traditions, and the allocation of natural resources. Physical Conditions: Prisoners suffered from severe overcrowding, malnutrition, lack of adequate sanitation and medical care, and, in some prisons, lack of adequate ventilation and lighting. The Secretariat of Human Rights noted an exponential increase in gender-based violence and domestic violence during the national curfew. The law regulates child labor, sets the minimum age for employment at age 14, and regulates the hours and types of work that minors younger than 18 may perform. In most prisons only inmates who purchased bottled water or had water filters in their cells had access to potable water. By law women have equal access to educational opportunities. Feb 28, 2023. The STSS has the power to declare a work stoppage illegal, and employers may discipline employees consistent with their internal regulations, including by firing strikers, if the STSS rules that a work stoppage is illegal. In 2021, almost 39 homicides were committed per 100,000 inhabitants in Honduras. Violent organized crime continues to disrupt Honduran society and push many people to leave the country. The law mandates that the Supreme Auditing Tribunal monitor and verify disclosures. On November 23, the court halted the presentation of evidence hearing after the defense filed an appeal. The council presented 11 reports in a series called, Corruption in the Times of COVID-19. (72 percent of these resulted in a conviction). The reports alleged illicit gains of more than 1.64 billion lempiras ($68 million) by government officials in the purchase of medical supplies. A federal grand jury on Friday indicted the man accused of shooting two Jewish men in February with hate crime and firearm offenses, the US Attorney's Office for the Central Some larger cities have police forces that operate independently of the national police and report to municipal authorities. Honduras Honduras, long one of the poorest countries in Latin America, is now also among the most violent and crime-ridden. The law does not permit active members of the military or civilian security forces to vote. Several anonymous social media sites, possibly linked to political parties, criticized journalists (as well as activists and civil society organizations) who were critical of the government or opposition party policies. The combined homicide rate per 100 thousand population remains low, with steep declines in some countries and remaining stable in others. Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. The law provides for freedom of association, and the government generally respected this right. Number of. Honduras registered over 120,000 cases of COVID-19 and 3,100 deaths by the end of 2020, according to University of Oxford researchers. The law prohibits discrimination based on gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, political opinion or affiliation, marital status, race or national origin, language, nationality, religion, family affiliation, family or economic situation, disability, health, physical appearance, or any other characteristic that would offend the victims human dignity. ANDERSON An Indiana man suspected of setting fire to an Anderson residence in 2020 is charged with attempted murder and first-degree arson, according to court records. In 2019 the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center NGO estimated there were approximately 247,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country due to violence. The law prohibits police from unionizing (see section 7.a.). A stronger outbreak is expected during the 2021 rainy season (May-November) due to . The law grants prisoners the right to prompt access to a lawyer of their choice and, if indigent, to government-provided counsel, although the public defender mechanism was weak, and authorities did not always abide by these requirements. You can add more than one country or area. Coercion in Population Control: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities. Honduras's peak of violent crime was in 2012, where the country experienced about 20 homicides per day, typically carried out by gun-toting gangs such as Barrio 18 or Mara Salvatrucha. The collapse of this empire left the territories of what we now understand to be Central America, to split off into separate regions. The law states that sexual orientation and gender-identity characteristics merit special protection from discrimination and includes these characteristics in a hate crimes amendment to the penal code. There is also a Human Rights Committee in the National Congress. Country Summary: Violent crime, such as homicide and armed robbery, is common. By law all minors between the ages of 14 and 18 in most industries must receive special permission from the STSS to work, and the STSS must perform a home study to verify that there is an economic need for the child to work and that the child not work outside the country or in hazardous conditions, including in offshore fishing. Penalties for facilitating child sex trafficking are 10 to 15 years in prison, with substantial fines. The law requiring prisoners to work at least five hours a day, six days a week took effect in 2016. Mental health professionals expressed concern about social stigma by families and communities against persons with mental disabilities and a lack of access to mental health care throughout the country. Some of the worst forms of child labor occurred, including commercial sexual exploitation of children, and NGOs reported that gangs often forced children to commit crimes, including homicide (see section 6, Children). Nearly two years after passage of a comprehensive labor inspection law in 2017, the STSS released implementing regulations based on extensive consultations with the private sector and unions. On April 2, a private security guard for the sugar company La Grecia shot and killed land rights defender Iris Argentina Alvarez Chavez during a confrontation between land rights defenders and private guards. The Military Police of Public Order report to military authorities but conduct operations sanctioned by civilian security officials as well as by military leaders. The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority. The country was a destination for child sex tourism. (SOUTH DAKOTA NEWS WATCH) - South Dakota received nearly $14 billion in federal COVID-19 funding from March 2020 through January, according to an internal state fiscal report . But the movement gained momentum during the pandemic and a partnership of more than 40 organizations hopes to capitalize The National Human Rights Commission of Honduras received complaints about human rights abuses and referred them to the Public Ministry for investigation. By August it had provided protection to two journalists, among other types of activists and human rights defenders. Because labor inspectors continued to be concentrated in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, full labor inspections and follow-up visits to confirm compliance were far less frequent in other parts of the country. is a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes the development of international air navigation safety and security . On February 4, media reported unknown assailants shot and killed three National Party local leaders in three separate incidents within five days in Tegucigalpa: Oscar Obdulio Licona Ruiz on January 31 and Dagoberto Villalta and Marcial Martinez on February 4. In 2019, Honduras saw its first rise in murders in seven years, though all three countries recorded declines in 2020 due to pandemic-related restrictions. The law permits workers in public health care, social security, staple food production, and public utilities (municipal sanitation, water, electricity, and telecommunications) to strike as long as they continue to provide basic services. The law prohibits night work and overtime for minors younger than 18, but the STSS may grant special permission for minors between the ages of 16 to 18 to work in the evening if such employment does not adversely affect their education. The government continued to prosecute individuals allegedly involved in the 2016 killing of environmental and indigenous activist Berta Caceres. Some employers either refused to engage in collective bargaining or made it very difficult to do so. The Secretariat of Human Rights provided training to security forces to increase respect for human rights. The government used pretrial detention centers to hold high-profile suspects and those in need of additional security. The law requires a judge to issue an eviction order for individuals occupying public and private property if security forces have not evicted the individuals within a specified period of time. In January 2020, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Honduran government failed to reach an agreement to renew the mandate of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in . The victims were land-rights defenders from the Afro-descendant Garifuna minority group. On January 9, 2018, the Honduran State confirmed the on-site visit to Honduras on the dates proposed by the IACHR. For years, street gangs have charged protection . Despite the emergency decree, CONAPREV reported that violence in the prison system continued unabated. The Public Ministry reported five such cases undergoing trial, with four cases in the sentencing phase of trial. NGOs reported irregularities, including problems with voter rolls, buying and selling of electoral workers credentials, and lack of transparency in campaign financing. Although 74 percent of births were attended by skilled health care personnel, NGOs reported that there were significant gaps in obstetric care, especially in rural areas. The rate of young people killing other young people is down to two main gangs : Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. Every 18 hours, a woman is a victim of a violent death. Reproductive Rights: Generally, individuals have the right to decide freely the number, spacing, and timing of having children and to have access to the information and means to do so, free from discrimination, coercion, or violence. Police arrested Ramon David Zelaya Hernandez on July 4 and Edward David Zalavarria Galeas on July 6 as the two main suspects in the killings. On September 16, the Public Ministry filed an indictment against army military police officer Josue Noe Alvarado Giron for the April 24 murder of Marvin Rolando Alvarado Santiago at a military roadblock in Omoa, Cortes. Journalists, environmental activists, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, and people with disabilities are among the groups targeted for violence. Introductory offer for new subscribers only. COLUMBUS Ohio Gov. Subscribe to the Ojai Valley News. . Police were investigating the killings. This report provides a snapshot of events during 2021 relevant to countries designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism. The Autonomous University of Honduras Violence Observatory reported 13 arbitrary or unlawful killings by security forces during the year. In security and domestic service sectors, workers were frequently forced to work more than 60 hours per week but paid only for 44 hours. Bernardez was a leader in the Punta Piedra community. Christian James Morrow. No cases were reported during the year. As of November the STSS had an insufficient number of inspectors to enforce the law effectively. The Human Rights Board condemned some of these arrests as arbitrary under the guise of curfew enforcement. Even so, many prisoners remained in custody after completing their full sentences, and sometimes even after an acquittal, because officials failed to process their releases expeditiously. Five other cases were under investigation. The national curfew and shutdown of government offices in response to COVID-19 severely hampered government efforts to address abuses during most of the year. Inspectors suspended inspections in March under the national curfew in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the law generally prohibits such actions, a legal exception allows government authorities to enter a private residence to prevent a crime or in case of another emergency. The law establishes an independent and impartial judiciary in civil matters, including access to a court to seek damages for human rights violations. Honduras remains one of the poorest and most unequal countries in the Western Hemisphere. The STSS may levy a fine against companies that fail to pay social security obligations, but the amount was not sufficient to deter violations. Under the new inspection law, the STSS has the authority temporarily to shut down workplaces where there is an imminent danger of fatalities; however, there were not enough trained inspectors to deter violations sufficiently. Castillo was returning from the market at 3:30 p.m. when a police officer arrested her for violating the curfew, even though the curfew did not start until 7:00 p.m. Castillo said the arrest was a reprisal for an encounter a few days previously, when Castillo confronted the officer who was attempting to expel a vendor from a park. Although the Interinstitutional Security Force reports to the National Security and Defense Council, it plays a coordinating role and did not exercise broad command and control functions over other security forces except during interagency operations involving those forces. COFADEH reported an increase of complaints regarding the use of excessive and disproportionate force by security forces under the national curfew. Abuse of Migrants, Refugees, and Stateless Persons: Transiting migrants and asylum seekers with pending cases were vulnerable to abuse by criminal organizations. The legal age of consent is 18. Defendants may not be compelled to testify or confess guilt. Specialties: Executive management, negotiations, project approval and feasibility, business development, strategy, project management, quality, audit and risk management, business resilience, corporate governance. In many industries, including agriculture, cleaning, and security, employers did not respect maternity rights or pay minimum wage, overtime, or vacation. Q: What happened to the original stars of "The Wild Wild West"? CONAPREV reported 27 prisoner deaths due to COVID-19 through August. Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government, Section 5. Most child labor occurred in rural areas. Forced labor occurred in street vending, domestic service, the transport of drugs and other illicit goods, other criminal activity, and the informal sector. More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Underscoring heightened risks facing transgender women involved in sex work, the PBI cited three alleged incidents where security forces degraded transgender women for violating the nationwide COVID-19 curfew, including by striking at least one of the individuals. Children with disabilities attended school at a lower rate than the general population. Trying again, focused this time on crime, he was . Impunity, however, remained a serious problem, with significant delays in some prosecutions and sources alleging corruption in judicial proceedings. Some judges, however, ruled that such suspects may be released on the condition that they continue to report periodically to authorities. International Child Abductions: The country is a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Occupational safety and health standards were current but not effectively enforced. Freedom of Speech: The law includes a provision to punish persons who directly or through public media incite discrimination, contempt, repression, or violence against a person, group, or organization for reasons of gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, political opinion or affiliation, marital status, race or national origin, language, nationality, religion, family affiliation, family or economic situation, disability, health, physical appearance, or any other characteristic that would offend the victims human dignity. Although the country experiences one of its lowest homicide rates in the last decade, authorities recorded 3,496 violent deaths in 2020. The law does not cover domestic workers. Unions also raised concerns about the use of temporary contracts and part-time employment, suggesting that employers used these mechanisms to prevent unionization and avoid providing full benefits. Civil society organizations criticized the governments failure to investigate threats adequately. Organized-crime organizations, such as drug traffickers and local and transnational gangs including MS-13 and the 18th Street gang, committed killings, extortion, kidnappings, human trafficking, and intimidation of police, prosecutors, journalists, women, and human rights defenders. The government did not effectively enforce these laws and regulations, although penalties were commensurate with laws related to civil rights, such as election interference. The Public Ministry also has the Special Prosecutors Office for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, Social Communicators, and Justice Officials. In January 2020, the president announced the dismantling of the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (Misin de Apoyo Contra la Corrupcin y la Impunidad en Honduras, MACCIH), which was backed by the Organization of American States (OAS). Many prisoners had access to weapons and other contraband, inmates attacked other inmates with impunity, and inmates and their associates outside prison threatened prison officials and their families. On May 5, the DIDADPOL director noted his office had not received a formal complaint, and he asserted two official police reports from the incident did not corroborate the PBIs account. The web site offers its visitors the latest in safety and security-related information, public announcements, warden messages, travel advisories, significant anniversary dates, terrorist groups profiles, country crime and safety reports, special topic reports, foreign press reports, and much more. The law requires that persons with disabilities have access to buildings, but few buildings were accessible, and the national government did not effectively implement laws or programs to provide such access. Section 2. According to the Global Cybercrime Report, the United States reached the prominent third-best position with a Cyber-Safety Score of 8.73. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) reported that authorities at times failed to enforce these requirements effectively. The regional [] Honduras' highest judicial body is the Supreme Court of Justice, which includes chambers for constitutional, criminal and civil cases. The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provides for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention in court. Section 1. The law prohibits illicit association, defined as gatherings by persons bearing arms, explosive devices, or dangerous objects with the purpose of committing a crime, and prescribes prison terms of two to four years and a moderate fine for anyone who convokes or directs an illicit meeting or demonstration. It prohibits employer retribution against employees for engaging in trade union activities. Nevertheless, social discrimination against LGBTI persons persisted, as did physical violence. Pretrial Detention: Judicial inefficiency, corruption, and insufficient resources delayed proceedings in the criminal justice system, and lengthy pretrial detention was a serious problem. Independent Monitoring: The government generally permitted prison visits by independent local and international human rights observers, including the International Committee of the Red Cross. The constitution prohibits practicing clergy from running for office or participating in political campaigns. Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) expressed concern about weak implementation of the law and limited resources available to operate the governments protection mechanism. Indigenous groups included the Miskito, Tawahkas, Pech, Tolupans, Lencas, Maya-Chortis, Nahual, Bay Islanders, and Garifunas. There were several reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. A Mosheim man involved in a police pursuit in 2021 resulting in a two-vehicle crash that killed a Greene County woman entered a guilty plea Tuesday to . On July 1, unknown assailants on a motorcycle shot and killed television journalist German Vallecillo and cameraman Jorge Posas in La Ceiba. There were no credible reports of political prisoners or detainees. Major urban centers and drug-trafficking routes experienced the highest rates of violence. Some companies also delayed appointing or failed to appoint representatives for required STSS-led mediation, a practice that prolonged the mediation process and impeded the right to strike. Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by government agents ; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious restrictions on free expression and
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